There are 20 basic conditions specified by the Duke Of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme -these ensure that expeditions are all run to the same standard and that, most importantly, every participant has gained a worthwhile and challenging award.
THE 20 CONDITIONS OF D of E EXPEDITIONS
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| 1.Must be by the participants’ own physical effort, without motorized or outside assistance | Participants will undertake the expedition by their chosen method of transport – sometimes by bike or canoe, but in the majority of cases walking. |
| 2. Must be unaccompanied and self-sufficient | The group is unaccompanied on expeditions, but will be met at checkpoints where supervisors are able to monitor their continuing prgress, condition and morale. |
| 3.Supervised by an adult who is able to accept responsibility for the safety of the team | All teams will have a qualified Expedition Leader overseeing their expedition, in addition to the member of staff from the school (except for ‘Open’ expeditions). |
| 4. Must have an aim | The expedition’s aim is always chosen by the team, with the itinerary being agreed to meet this aim. We ensure that the aim is realistic and has been thought through. |
| 5. All participants must be properly equipped | It is an inherent part of the pre-expedition training that we assess the equipment needs of participants. We have a supply of personal equipment for loan, and as standard we supply group equipment – tents, stoves, group shelters and any other group items needed. |
| 6. Participants must have completed the required training and practice expeditions | In most cases this will have been completed with E3Adventures; if completed elsewhere then we will verify that each participant has completed the requirements. |
| 7. One practice expedition must be undertaken | This will be undertaken as a part of our programme. In the case of ‘Open’ expeditions we will check that this has been completed. |
| 8. Team must plan and organise their own expedition | E3Adentures help groups to plan and organise sensibly within the parameters available for the expedition. |
| 9. Assessment must be by an approved assessor | Assessors are provided by E3Adventures for all D of E expeditions |
| 10. There must be between 4 and 7 in a team | This is a standard requirement; groups are usually predetermined by the school or college. |
| 11. Must be within the qualifying age of programme level | This will be verified by the school or college group leader. |
| 12. Participants must be at the same level of assessment | Each assessment is run for one level only. |
| 13. The team must not include those who have completed the same or higher level expedition | This will be verified from participants’ logbooks. |
| 14. Accommodation should be by camping | We provide tents, as well as other group equipment. |
| 15. The expedition must be of the correct duration Bronze – 2 days and 1 night, Silver 3 days and 2 nights and Gold 4 days and 3 nights. | This is a standard requirement; in addition there are minimum requirements for travelling time which we will supervise. |
| 16. Expedition should normally take place between end of March and end of October | Please ensure that your dates are booked plenty of time in advance, as the summer season in particular can be very busy. |
| 17. The expedition should take place in the recommended environment | E3Adventures run expeditions in appropriate areas for each Award level. |
| 18. Expedition must meet the minimum hours of planned activity | These are: Bronze 6 hours planned activity of which at least 3 hours journeying, Silver 7 hours planned activity of which at least 3.5 hours journeying, and Gold 8 hours planned activity, of which 4 hours journeying. |
| 19. A substantial meal should be cooked and eaten by the participants each day | We will train participants in menu selection appropriate for expeditions, and in how to cook safely using the stoves provided. |
| 20. A presentation must be prepared and delivered after the expedition | The team’s presentation will normally be made at school or college, and we will discuss this with the teacher in charge. |
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